Raw Art Works marks anniversary with installation

LYNN – Raw Art Works is celebrating 25 years and opening the doors to its new space Thursday, but it’s the community that will be celebrated when more than 500 portraits of faces that make up Lynn are unveiled.”We wanted to say a gigantic thank you to the community,” said RAW Program Director Kathe Swaback.To do that, Swaback said artists ages 7-19 fanned out over the city and took photos of everyone who has helped RAW along its 25-year path and pretty much anyone else they came in contact with along the way.”We contacted over 40 organizations that we have a connection to and we photographed people around here and then we just asked pretty much anyone we saw if we could take their pictures,” Swaback said.Armed with iPads and gusto, a group of mostly 10-year-olds descended on The Daily Item on a February afternoon to include the portraits of reporters and editors for the project.Davonte Keo, 10, said RAW decided to include the 38 Exchange St. employees “because you are fascinating people.”Crystal Deprizito, who is almost 8, said she liked taking pictures for the project.”I can get a lot of emotions and some are really funny,” she said. “And it’s something I can show my mom.”Swaback said they expected to gather 480 photographs but ended up with 572. Those photographs were then traced and turned into original works of printed art.”By Thursday 572 portraits will fill these walls,” Swaback said, indicating the still-under-construction space now adjacent to the original studio.Artist Frankie Vasquez worked on about 15 of the portraits. He said he liked the style because it gives him more freedom to have fun. The final products are not photo-perfect images. They’re whimsical, and they maintain a very real likeness to the person in the original photo.”They were spending hours on someone’s portrait,” Swaback said. “You’re witnessing a person’s face. You’re really connecting ? you’re honoring that person.”For the unveiling Thursday, starting at 6 p.m., everyone photographed is invited to come and find their image, and the public is invited to come and enjoy the colorful prints.While the original artwork is done on paper, Swaback said the portraits, all 572, will become part of a more permanent installation.”We wrote a grant to the MBTA,” she said.The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority agreed to fund the process of turning the portraits into a mural and also agreed to allow RAW to install the mural on the long, blank wall of the elevated train tracks that runs from Washington Street to Central Square, Swaback said.The project not only celebrates the faces of the city but also the young artists who created those portraits.”The kids did their own self portraits as well, so they will be in the mix too,” Swaback said.”It is so exciting,” said artist Katie Russell, a high school senior. “It’s going to look so good.”